


Life Lesson

by FluffyBeaumont



Category: Dark Shadows (1966)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-24
Updated: 2012-10-24
Packaged: 2017-11-16 22:21:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/544477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffyBeaumont/pseuds/FluffyBeaumont
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam is grateful for everything Professor Stokes has taught him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life Lesson

Professor Stokes is teaching him important things, things he says Adam needs to know. He teaches Adam about words and their meanings, about manners and etiquette and how to be in the world. Adam is grateful. This is another word Professor Stokes has taught him.

  


”Adam is grateful.” It's more correct to refer to himself in such a context as 'I' but he cannot yet make the syntactic leap. “Professor, Adam is very grateful.”

  


”You've made some wonderful progress.” Professor Stokes always smells good, like pine trees, and happiness, and books. Adam loves books. Books are the things Adam loves the most.

  


”Adam is grateful to Professor Stokes.” There are times when it is appropriate to touch, and there are other times. In private, Adam can touch. In public Adam cannot touch. Touching in public causes misunderstanding. This is another lesson.

  


”It's not necessary to be grateful.” Professor Stokes hands him a glass of wine. Wine is made from grapes. Adam likes the taste of wine. He likes to watch Professor Stokes drink wine, because wine makes the professor smile. The professor is his friend. Adam wants his friend to be happy. Adam is happy.

  


Touching in public isn't appropriate but it is alright for Adam to touch in private. Adam wants to touch now. Adam wants to touch his friend.

 

Professor Stokes' name is Timothy. Timothy's bedroom is at the top of the stairs, across the corridor from the place where Adam sleeps. There are books in Timothy's bedroom. Adam loves books. Timothy is in the bedroom.

  


Adam loves Timothy. It's permissible to say this in private, but not acceptable to say such things in public, where other people might misunderstand. Timothy sleeps without any clothes on, because the sheets are fine Egyptian cotton. Adam knows that fine Egyptian cotton is the best, because Timothy told him. Timothy isn't handsome, but neither is Adam; they can be unhandsome together.

  


”Adam...what are you doing? Shouldn't you be in bed?”

  


”Adam isn't tired. Adam wants to touch.”

  


Professor Stokes attempts an explanation: “Adam, this isn't necessary...” And, when this doesn't deter him, “Touching has to do with love, Adam.”

  


”Then it is alright.” Adam takes his clothes off. He lies beside Timothy. He touches Timothy's face, his shoulders, his chest. He kisses his friend. “Adam knows about love,” he says. “I know about love.”

  


**Author's Note:**

> Professor Stokes/Adam is an unconventional pairing that really struck my fancy. Adam clearly looks up to and appreciates Timothy Stokes, and Stokes obviously feels a certain warmth for his protege. Both men are lonely and both men are in a position to assuage each other's loneliness.


End file.
